Bearmouth: A Novel

by Liz Hyder

Overview

Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize

Winner of the Branford Boase Award

Times (UK) Children's Book of the Year

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labor and isolation, where daylight is a distant memory. Newt has lived in the mine since the age of four, and accepts everything from the harsh working conditions to the brutality of the overseers—until the mysterious Devlin arrives and Newt begins to ask “Why?” Against a background of creeping violence and rising tensions, this question drives a chain of events that confronts the pitiless Bearmouth system and threatens to destroy their entire world.

With an utterly distinctive voice and propulsive storytelling, this darkly atmospheric thriller announces the arrival of a singular new talent in young adult literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781324015864
Publisher:	Norton Young Readers
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Liz Hyder is a writer and multi-award-winning PR consultant in the arts with a BA in drama from the University of Bristol. She won Moniack Mhor’s 2018 Emerging Writer Award, and lives in South Shropshire, England.

Editorial Reviews

"This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark."— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[An] excellent fantasy debut....A mythic tale with the feel of a fable, one in which the young and vulnerable take on the powerful and mighty."— Guardian

"A book about bravery in extremis by a writer as courageous as they come."— Times (UK)

"Delving into politics, religion, power, and revolution—especially during a time of our own civil unrest—Hyder’s bleak world of dangerous coal mines and brutal labor provides the victorious ending we’re yearning for."— Booklist

"Readers should relish Hyder’s ambitious, atmospherically rendered commentary on oppressive work situations and child labor."— Publishers Weekly

"In this impressive debut novel, Liz Hyder spins a satisfying web of tension, action and revelation, rooted in a truly unique narrative voice."— BookPage

"For those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it."— School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 2020-06-16
Newt has been eking out a living as an unskilled laborer in the bleak Bearmouth coal mine since the age of 4.

Forced to work in appalling underground conditions in an alternate Britain for meager pay, Newt—also called “YouNuck” (eunuch) by others as a malicious nod to their perceived undefined gender—must split their earnings between essential purchases from the company store and wages sent to their family back home. Life in the mine is brutal, and each day seems to bring new injuries, assaults, or deaths. Newt is able to focus on the bright spots in the darkness: loving friendships, moments of joy, and caring fellow miners who treat Newt like family. Newt is encouraged to keep their head down and follow the rules so as to not upset the fine balance in the mines between exploited workers and those in power, but everything changes when a dangerous newcomer joins the team and begins asking provocative questions. When tragedy strikes, Newt begins to question their religious faith in the Mayker and yearns for change. Newt is taught their letters by Thomas, a fellow worker in the mines, and the story is told in Newt’s own words through phonetically written prose. Thomas has brown skin; all other characters seem to be white.

This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark. (Dystopian thriller. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews